Many tornado-impacted residential areas remain construction zones

A new apartment complex is being constructed on the site of the Wood Square Shopping Center, which was destroyed in the April 27, 2011, tornado.

Dusty Compton | Tuscaloosa News

By Stephanie TaylorStaff Writer

Published: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 11:17 p.m.

Thousands of residents were displaced when the April 27, 2011, tornado left a nearly 6-mile path of destruction through Tuscaloosa.

Officials reported that 1,257 residences were destroyed and 4,105 were damaged. Two years later, many of the affected areas are still construction zones.

According to the city of Tuscaloosa, 2,411 residential building permits for new construction and repairs estimated to cost $89 million have been issued in recovery zones as of Thursday. That includes new construction valued at just more than $48 million and close to $40 million in repair permits.

Vacant lots and concrete foundations still line hard-hit 26th Avenue East in Alberta, but building permits that hang from utility poles promise redevelopment. A few streets away on Juanita Drive, crews from Habitat for Humanity have erected frames and are well on the way to completing several homes. Similar empty lots can be found in the Forest Lake area, but several houses have been built and are advertising for lease or rental in the fall. Families began moving into the newly constructed 88-unit first phase of Rosedale Court in December.

Authorities know that the city's population shifted from the damaged areas, but they expect that people will move back once more housing options are available.

“We anticipate that the tornado, when we look at it after a five- or 10-year period, should have minimal impact in terms of population shifts,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.

In February 2012, the Tuscaloosa Board of Education shared results from a demographics study conducted by law firm Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson & Fowler. The firm worked with several engineering firms and used data from the City of Tuscaloosa's information technology department to determine how many people remained in tornado-devastated neighborhoods and how many people planned to move back to those areas.

Researchers found that between 30 and 41 percent of students attending Alberta Elementary, University Place Elementary and University Place Middle schools lived outside their school zone at the time, nearly a year after the storm. Based on parent surveys but not considering future residential development, enrollment at Alberta Elementary was expected to decrease slightly, while enrollment at University Elementary and Middle schools were projected to rise.

Many of the destroyed residences were rental homes and apartment buildings.

“We had an abundance from an overbuild in the rental market,” Maddox said, so people were easily able to find places to live. Only two families took advantage of FEMA trailers, he said.

Many of the renters from the Alberta area moved to apartments along Kicker Road, said Jeff Motz, geographic information systems manager for the city who assisted with the school system study. A lot of families moved to apartment complexes south of Skyland Boulevard, near Southview Elementary School. Many displaced families who had lived in Rosedale Court moved to Hay Court and surrounding areas in west Tuscaloosa, he said.

Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner said he believes the residences in Alberta will fill up after the opening of the performing arts school, where ground was officially broken Wednesday.

“I have talked to a lot of people who really want to move back,” he said. “But I think some people may not. Some have moved to different school districts like Skyland and Northington and may stay there. It seems like a significant number of people have moved to Northport or the Skyland area.”

City officials intend to continue monitoring where people live.

“We want to have an idea of how many people were impacted that moved outside of our metropolitan area and from that, to be able to determine how many moved back in, as it relates to the improvements that will be going on in the recovery zone,” Maddox said.

<p>Thousands of residents were displaced when the April 27, 2011, tornado left a nearly 6-mile path of destruction through Tuscaloosa.</p><p>Officials reported that 1,257 residences were destroyed and 4,105 were damaged. Two years later, many of the affected areas are still construction zones.</p><p>According to the city of Tuscaloosa, 2,411 residential building permits for new construction and repairs estimated to cost $89 million have been issued in recovery zones as of Thursday. That includes new construction valued at just more than $48 million and close to $40 million in repair permits.</p><p>Vacant lots and concrete foundations still line hard-hit 26th Avenue East in Alberta, but building permits that hang from utility poles promise redevelopment. A few streets away on Juanita Drive, crews from Habitat for Humanity have erected frames and are well on the way to completing several homes. Similar empty lots can be found in the Forest Lake area, but several houses have been built and are advertising for lease or rental in the fall. Families began moving into the newly constructed 88-unit first phase of Rosedale Court in December.</p><p>Authorities know that the city's population shifted from the damaged areas, but they expect that people will move back once more housing options are available.</p><p>“We anticipate that the tornado, when we look at it after a five- or 10-year period, should have minimal impact in terms of population shifts,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.</p><p>In February 2012, the Tuscaloosa Board of Education shared results from a demographics study conducted by law firm Phelps, Jenkins, Gibson & Fowler. The firm worked with several engineering firms and used data from the City of Tuscaloosa's information technology department to determine how many people remained in tornado-devastated neighborhoods and how many people planned to move back to those areas.</p><p>Researchers found that between 30 and 41 percent of students attending Alberta Elementary, University Place Elementary and University Place Middle schools lived outside their school zone at the time, nearly a year after the storm. Based on parent surveys but not considering future residential development, enrollment at Alberta Elementary was expected to decrease slightly, while enrollment at University Elementary and Middle schools were projected to rise.</p><p>Many of the destroyed residences were rental homes and apartment buildings. </p><p>“We had an abundance from an overbuild in the rental market,” Maddox said, so people were easily able to find places to live. Only two families took advantage of FEMA trailers, he said. </p><p>Many of the renters from the Alberta area moved to apartments along Kicker Road, said Jeff Motz, geographic information systems manager for the city who assisted with the school system study. A lot of families moved to apartment complexes south of Skyland Boulevard, near Southview Elementary School. Many displaced families who had lived in Rosedale Court moved to Hay Court and surrounding areas in west Tuscaloosa, he said.</p><p>Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner said he believes the residences in Alberta will fill up after the opening of the performing arts school, where ground was officially broken Wednesday. </p><p>“I have talked to a lot of people who really want to move back,” he said. “But I think some people may not. Some have moved to different school districts like Skyland and Northington and may stay there. It seems like a significant number of people have moved to Northport or the Skyland area.”</p><p>City officials intend to continue monitoring where people live.</p><p>“We want to have an idea of how many people were impacted that moved outside of our metropolitan area and from that, to be able to determine how many moved back in, as it relates to the improvements that will be going on in the recovery zone,” Maddox said.</p><p>Reach Stephanie Taylor at stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0210.</p>